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076-2000 LTC CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 http:\\ci.miami-beach.fl.us L.T.C. No._ 76-2000 LETTER TO COMMISSION April 7, 2000 FROM: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and Members of the City Commission Lawrence A. Levy ~ City Manager TO: SUBJECT: ATLANTIC CORRIDOR TESTIMONY Attached, please find testimony on the Atlantic Corridor that the City is submitting to two subcommittees of the U. S. House Appropriations Committee; the Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Subcommittee and the Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The testimony that is submitted to the V AlHUD Subcommittee also includes language that supports continued strong funding commitments to Elderly Housing programs. In addition, on April 13, 2000, Vice-Mayor Dermer will appear before the House V A/HUD Subcommittee to give oral testimony on the Atlantic Corridor. LAL:CRrtRM:kc c: Assistant City Managers and Executive Assistants to the City Manager Randolph Marks, Assistant Director, Community/Economic Development Attachments: Testimony before V AlHUD Subcommittee Testimony before Interior Subcommittee TESTIMONY BEFORE THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 13,2000 REGARDING A PROPOSED 2001 DISCRETIONARY FUND SET-ASIDE FOR A CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK PRESENTED BY DAVID DERMER, VICE-MAYOR CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE: I AM DAVID DERMER, VICE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA. ON BEHALF OF MIAMI BEACH, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU. THE CITY RESPECTFULLY SUBMITS A COMMUNITY SUST AINABILITY PROJECT FOR A DISCRETIONARY FUND SET-ASIDE THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 2001 VAlHUD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES PROGRAM. THE CITY-PROPOSED SET-ASIDE OF FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE USED TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CITYWIDE NETWORK OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AND BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN/GREENW A Y TRAILS, KNOWN AS THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREEN WAY NETWORK, WHICH WILL HELP CREATE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIAMI BEACH. THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THE NETWORK IS ESTIMATED AT $35 MILLION, OF WHICH $20 MILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN FUNDED BY OR AWARDED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. ONLY THE $15 MILLION REQUESTED HEREIN REMAINS UNFUNDED. THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK ENCOMPASSES THE TRAILS ALONG THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND INDIAN CREEK WATERWAY, AND SEVERAL INLAND TRAILS THAT WILL PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO AND FROM THE VARIOUS CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, ENTERTAINMENT, EMPLOYMENT, COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS CENTERS, INCLUDING A RESIDENTIAL CAUSEWAY THAT REACHES OVER BISCA YNE BA Y AND INTO DOWNTOWN MIAMI. A LISTING OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE GREENWAY NETWORK IS PROVIDED AS AN EXHIBIT TO THIS TESTIMONY. THIS INTEGRATED NETWORK OF GREENWAY TRAILS WILL SNAKE ITS WAY ALONG THE CITY'S PARKS, BEACHES, W A TERW A YS, AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, AND WILL INCLUDE REST AREAS, VISTAS AREAS, AND WATER RECREATION AREAS, AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE GREENW A YS, TO PROVIDE ENHANCED HERITAGE AND ECO- TOURISM AMENITIES AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAIL USERS. THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THE GREENWAY NETWORK, KNOWN AS THE NORTH BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR-PHASE I, WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN 2001 AS PART OF AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR THE NORTH BEACH AREA OF THE CITY. OTHER SEGMENTS WILL FOLLOW AS THEY REACH FULL FUNDING STATUS. IN ADDITION, A PROJECT KNOWN AS THE BEACHWALK TRAIL IS ALSO FULL Y FUNDED BY THE CITY AND READY TO BE CONSTRUCTED, FRINGING THE ART DECO HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE HOTEL AREA OF SOUTH BEACH, WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION OF SEVERAL HOTELS AND CONDOMINIUMS IS UNDERWAY, DUE TO THE ONGOING INVESTMENT INTEREST IN THE AREA. BY CONNECTING THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR WITH IMPROVED TRANSIT SITES IN STRATEGIC RESIDENTIAL AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, AS WELL AS REGIONAL PARKING FACILITIES, THE NETWORK WILL ENCOURAGE GREATER MOBILITY. ENHANCED MOBILITY ALONG THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR WILL, IN TURN, ENCOURAGE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MIAMI BEACH BY REDUCING THE CONCURRENCY RESTRICTIONS CURRENTLY LIMITING NEW, COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AND BY PROVIDING NEW VENUES FOR THE CITY'S FASHION, FILM, AND ECO- TOURISM INDUSTRIES. THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ALSO INCREASE LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT BY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AND WILL ENCOURAGE THE CROSS-UTILIZATION OF THE CITY'S CULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES, CREATING A BALANCE THAT ENSURES A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. WE WISH TO EMPHASIZE THAT A $15 MILLION FISCAL YEAR 2001 DISCRETIONARY FUND SET -ASIDE BY V AlHUD-EDI TOWARD THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK IS CRITICAL TO THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF MIAMI BEACH IN SUSTAINING AND STRENGTHENING ITS POSITION AS THE NUMBER ONE BEACH TOURISM DESTINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. IN ADDITION TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES MENTIONED PREVIOUSL Y, THE CITY RECOGNIZES THAT HOUSING IS ANOTHER KEY FACTOR IN SUSTAINING THE CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH. MIAMI BEACH HAS TRADITIONALLY ATTRACTED A LARGE RESIDENT ELDERL Y POPULATION, MANY OF WHOM ARE RETIRED PERSONS DEPENDENT ON FIXED INCOME SOCIAL SECURITY INSURANCE. ELDERL Y HOUSEHOLDS CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY OF THE VERY-LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS RESIDING IN THE CITY. THEREFORE, ELDERLY HOUSEHOLDS ARE OFTEN COST-BURDENED HOUSEHOLDS AND MOST OF THEM ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING, HEALTH, EMPLOYMENT, AND OTHER SERVICES. IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL HOUSING PROVIDERS, THE CITY'S HOUSING DIVISION HAS ESTABLISHED AND CURRENTLY FUNDS A VARIETY OF HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO GROUPS IN NEED, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY. AS AN U.S. HUD ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY, THE CITY RELIES ON LIMITED FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ITS HOUSING PROGRAMS. CURRENTLY, THE CITY IS ESTABLISHING AN ELDER AFFAIRS PROGRAM, WHICH WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE HOUSING DIVISION, AND WILL PROVIDE SPECIALIZED REFERRAL SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY POPULATION. THIS PROGRAM WILL ASSIST THE ELDERL Y IN ACHIEVING MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE BY ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT EMPOWER THEM TO AGE IN PLACE, IN AN ELDERLY FRIENDL Y ENVIRONMENT WITH SECURITY, DIGNITY AND PURPOSE. SINCE HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY IN MIAMI BEACH, FUNDING FOR ELDERLY HOUSING IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY. STRONG FUNDING COMMITMENTS FOR U.S. HUD ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, LIKE CDBG, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM, AND ESG PROGRAM, ARE NEEDED TO CONTINUE ASSISTING THE ELDERLY POPULATION. EXPANSION AND INCREASED FUNDING OF OTHER U.S. HUD PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SECTION 202 AND SECTION 811, IS A HIGHLY NEEDED INVESTMENT FOR THE ELDER COMMUNITY. YOUR CONSIDERATION IS SINCERELY APPRECIATED. TESTIMONY BEFORE THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL _, 2000 REGARDING A PROPOSED 2001 DISCRETIONARY FUND SET-ASIDE FORA MIAMI BEACH ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE: THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITS A COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT AND PARKS/OPEN SPACE PROJECT FOR A DISCRETIONARY FUND SET-ASIDE THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 2001 URBAN PARKS RESTORATION AND RECOVERY PROGRAM. THE CITY-PROPOSED SET-ASIDE OF FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE USED TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CITYWIDE NETWORK OF BICYCLEIPEDESTRIAN/GREENW A Y TRAILS, KNOWN AS THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK, WHICH WILL BECOME NATURAL EXTENSIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKS SYSTEM. THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THE NETWORK IS $35 MILLION, OF WHICH APPROXIMA TEL Y $20 MILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN FUNDED BY OR AWARDED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. ONLY THE $15 MILLION REQUESTED HEREIN REMAINS UNFUNDED. THE ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK ENCOMPASS THE TRAILS ALONG THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND INDIAN CREEK WATERWAY, AND SEVERAL INLAND TRAILS THAT WILL PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE CITY PARKS, BEACHES AND WATERWAYS, FROM THE RESIDENTIAL, ENTERTAINMENT, AND TOURIST AREAS OF THE CITY. ONE SUCH TRAIL WILL SPAN A RESIDENTIAL CAUSEWAY OVER BISCA YNE BAY AND INTO DOWNTOWN MIAMI, AFFORDING SPECTACULAR VISTAS OF THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE, THE SEAPORT, AND MIAMI BEACH. A LISTING OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE GREENWAY NETWORK IS PROVIDED AS AN EXHIBIT TO THIS TESTIMONY. THIS INTEGRATED NETWORK OF GREENWAY TRAILS WILL SNAKE ITS WAY ALONG THE CITY'S PARKS, BEACHES, WATERWAYS, AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, AND WILL INCLUDE REST AREAS, VISTAS AREAS, AND WATER RECREATION AREAS, AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE GREENW A YS, TO PROVIDE ENHANCED HERITAGE AND ECO- TOURISM AMENITIES AND RECREA TIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAIL USERS. THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PARK'S MASTER PLAN PLACES GREAT EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE COASTAL DUNE SYSTEM, NATIVE VEGETATION AND SEA TURTLE HATCHERY PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE CREEK AND WATERWAYS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND VEGETATION. EXOTIC SPECIES WILL BE CLEARED AND NEW NATIVE PLANTINGS ARE PROPOSED FOR PURPOSES OF DUNE AND SEAWALL STABILIZATION, CREATION OF A VISUAL LINK FROM LAND TO SEA, AND PROVISION OF A MUCH NEEDED SENSE OF OPENNESS AND SECURITY. TWO OF THESE GREENWAY TRAILS ARE PRESENTL Y FUNDED AND NEARING CONSTRUCTION - THE NORTH BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR PROJECT/PHASE ONE, AND THE BEACHWALK CORRIDOR IN SOUTH BEACH. THE NORTH BEACH PROJECT BEGINS AT THE NORTH SHORE OPEN SPACE PARK, WHICH, AT 34.61 ACRES, IS THE LARGEST PARK IN MIAMI BEACH AND A HIGHLY TREASURED NATURAL RESOURCE BY THE SEASHORE. REACHING SOUTHWARD, THIS TRAIL WILL GO THROUGH ALTOS DEL MAR, NORTH SHORE (BAND SHELL), AND ALLISON PARKS. THE OTHER PROJECT - THE BEACHW ALK TRAIL WILL CONNECT AN EXISTING OCEANFRONT BOARDWALK, COLLINS PARK, AND THE CULTURAL ARTS CAMPUS, TO LUMMUS PARK AT OCEAN DRIVE. SUBSEQUENTL Y, THE BEACHWALK TRAIL WILL BE EXTENDED FURTHER SOUTHWARD THROUGH OCEAN FRONT PARK AND SOUTH POINTE PARK, WHICH AFFORDS SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AS WELL AS THE CRUISE-SHIP CHANNEL, AND MIAMI. THE GREENWAY TRAILS WILL ALLOW FOR BEACHFRONT AND MARINE ACCESS FACILITIES, AS WELL AS IMPROVED ACCESS TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL TRANSIT STOPS. A LISTING OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE ATLANTIC GREENWAY NETWORK IS PROVIDED AS AN EXHIBIT TO THIS TESTIMONY. WE WISH TO EMPHASIZE THAT A $15 MILLION FISCAL YEAR 2001 DISCRETIONARY FUND SET-ASIDE BY THE URBAN PARKS RESTORATION AND RECOVERY PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL TO THE COMPLETION AND INTERCONNECTION OF THE MIAMI BEACH- PROPOSED ATLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK, TO ENHANCED ECO- TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO AN INCREASED PARKS AND TRAILS CROSS- UTILIZATION BY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. YOUR CONSIDERATION IS SINCERELY APPRECIATED. CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA A TLANTIC CORRIDOR GREENWAY NETWORK A NETWORK OF BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES IN A GREENWAY SETTING The City's Atlantic Corridor will be comprised of eight (8) interconnected bicycle/pedestrian! GREEN WAY trails, as follows: 1. NORTH BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR (NBRC) PHASES I. II. and III An on-grade, landscaped, paver-stone trail to be built along the western edge of the dune system, from the northern city limits at 87th Street and North Shore Open Space Park, south to Altos del Mar Park, North Shore (Band Shell) Park, Allison Park, and Beach View Park at 53rd Street. At this point, the trail will veer west across Collins Avenue, where it will link with the proposed Indian Creek Greenways Trail. The NBRC projects are approximately 2.5 miles in length and run parallel to the hotel/commercial area of North Beach. NBRC-I is funded and undergoing final design!environmental permitting, with construction scheduled to begin in 2001. NBRC-II is partly funded; and NBRC-III is yet to be funded. 2. THE NORTH BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD INTERCONNECTOR TRAILS A network of on-street trails featuring roadway striping, signage, and street crossing at protected points. This trail will meander westward from the NBRC to the neighborhoods surrounding Surfside Park, Tatum Waterway, Normandy Waterway and Normandy Shores Golf Course, as well as the commercial area of Normandy Street/71st Street. North Beach is a densely populated area comprised of multi-family dwellings on the main island, and single-family dwellings to the west at Normandy Isle. This trail project is partly funded. 3. THE INDIAN CREEK GREENW A YS TRAIL An on-grade, landscaped, recreational trail to be built along the eastern shore of the Indian Creek Waterway, from Brittany Park at 65th Street south to Lake Pancoast at Collins Avenue and 23rd Street, where it will link with the Beach Walk Trail to the south and the Dade BoulevardlVenetian Way Trail to the west. The Indian Creek Trail, approximately 3 miles in length, will parallel the hotel area of Middle Beach and an existing beachfront promenade known as the Boardwalk, and link to Neighborhood Interconnector Trails at 41st Street and 23rd Street areas. This project is partly funded by the City of Miami Beach. 4. THE MIDDLE BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD INTERCONNECTOR TRAILS A network of on-street trails featuring roadway striping, signage, and street crossing at protected points. This largely single-family dwelling area of Miami Beach is separated from the eastern seaboard by Indian Creek, Flamingo, and Biscayne Waterways, plus the La Gorce Golf Club and Bayshore Golf Course, leaving few options for interconnection in the east- west direction at 63rd Street, 41 st Street, and 23rd Street bridges, the first two bridges being Miami Beach Atlantic Corridor Page 2 heavily used by vehicular traffic. Due to its residential nature, however, Middle Beach offers viable trail opportunities in the north-south direction at the Pine TreeILa Gorce Drives and North Bay Road corridors. This project is presently unfunded. 5. THE DADE BOULEV ARDNENETIAN WAY TRAIL Two separate but continuous east-west projects constitute the Dade BoulevardlVenetian Way Trail (3.5-miles). The upcoming restoration of the northern shoreline of Collins Canal, which parallels Dade Boulevard from the 23rd Street Bridge to Purdy Avenue, will allow for the construction of a Dade Boulevard Bicycle/Pedestrian/Greenway Trail that will also serve the Convention Center/Garden Center/Holocaust Memorial/Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts/City Hall area of Miami Beach. The Venetian Way Trail will run from Purdy Avenue to downtown Miami on a residential causeway over Biscayne Bay, which features 12 historically renovated bridges. The DadeNenetian Trail will link to the beach corridors on the east, and to Miami's Flagler Trail to the west. The funding packet for both projects has yet to be completed. 6. BEACHW ALK TRAIL. PHASES I AND II An on-grade paver stone trail to be built along the western edges of the sand dunes, from the end of the existing Boardwalk at 21 st Street down to Lummus Park by Ocean Drive, Ocean Front Park, and South Pointe Park (2 miles), serving the Cultural Arts Campus, Art Deco Historic District and hotel area of South Beach. The Beachwalk Trail will link to both the Indian Creek and Dade Boulevard Trails to the north; the South Beach Neighborhood Interconnector Trails to the west; and the Baywalk Trail to the south and west. Beachwalk Phase I is totally funded by local government, while Beachwalk Phase II remains unfunded. 7. SOUTH BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD INTERCONNECTOR TRAILS A network of on-street trails featuring roadway striping, signage, and street crossing at protected points. South Beach is a densely populated area of Miami Beach, where single family and multi-family residential areas fit together with the central business district, hotel area, and the Art Deco Historic District. A series of east-west trails will connect the Lincoln Road and central business district, the W est Avenue, Flamingo and Park South Pointe neighborhood to the Beachwalk/Baywalk/Dade Trails. This project has yet to be funded. 8. BA YW ALK TRAIL An on-grade, landscaped, paver stone trail to be built along the Biscayne Bay shoreline from the MacArthur Causeway at 5th Street and Alton Road, south through the Miami Beach Marina, and around the southern end of Miami Beach and linking to South Pointe Park and the Beachwalk. This project is to be funded by developer and constructed on City easement.