2010-27321 Reso2010-27321
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION WAIVING BUILDING PERMITS AND
DEVELOPMENT FEES DUE FROM THE TALMUDIC
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$36,659.40; PROVIDED FURTHER THAT SAID WAIVER
OF FEES DOES NOT INCLUDE THE STATE RADON FEE
AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CODE COMPLIANCE FEES.
WHEREAS, the Talmudic University of Florida located at 4000 Alton Road, has been
an integral part of the Miami Beach community for over 35 yeazs; and
WHEREAS, the University provides scholarships to student residents of Miami Beach
and offers free life cycle counseling and adult education programs to Miami Beach residents; and
WHEREAS, the University undertook a substantial renovation of its facilities, obtaining
a partial certificate of occupancy for a portion of its renovation project; and
WHEREAS, the following permits have expired for the property: B07000318,
B0009039, BE080236, BE081388, BE081389, BEBM081058, BM081319, BMS0802607 and
BP080180; and
WHEREAS, the general contractor, Michael Stern, wrongfully abandoned the project,
has allowed permits to expire and has left the country; and
WHEREAS, when permits expire, the Florida Building Code requires that new permits
be obtained and the City Code requires that fees for the new permits be paid, in this case, the fees
total $36,659.40, not including the required State Radon fee of $820.10 and the Miami-Dade
County Code Compliance fee of $484.20, the latter two of which cannot be waived by the City;
and
WHEREAS, based upon the financial hardships confronting the University and the
unique extenuating circumstances presented, the City Administration recommends waiving the
Building and development fees for the City permits set forth herein (not including the state and
county fees).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION,
that the City of Miami Beach building permit and development fees due from the Talmudic
University of Florida, in the amount of $36,809.40 are hereby waived, provided further that the
fee waiver does not include the state radon fee and the Miami-Dade County Code Compliance
fee.
PASSED and ADOPTED this .3 day of February, 2010.
ATTEST:
ROBERT ~ PARCHER, CITY CLERK MAT H O R, AYO~
APPROVct.~ r.~~ TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& FO CUTION
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COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
A Resolution Waiving Building Permit And Development Fees Due From The Talmudic University Of
Florida, In The Amount Of $36,659.40; Provided Further That Said Waiver Of Fees Does Not Include
State Radon Fee And Miami-Dade County Fee.
Ke Intended Outcome Su orted:
Make City More Business Friendly.
Supporting Data (Surveys, Environmental Scan, etc.):
NIA
approve the Resolution?
Talmudic University is anon-profit educational institution that has been operating in Miami Beach for
over 35 years. The school recently relocated their facility from an amalgamation of buildings on 19th
street and Alton to a new campus on 41" street and Alton. Talmudic University applied for and
obtained the proper building permits to renovate their new space.
However, due to the decline in the economic environment and the fact that their General Contractor,
Stern Companies -owned by Mr. Michael Stern, due to his personal situation was unavailable to
continue the work, the remaining work could not be completed. As a result the permit expired on
September 15, 2009.
In order to proceed with the rest of work, the Talmudic University needs to renew the permit, which will
result in $37,963.70 in additional permit fees (Attachment I -permit and fee detail). Talmudic
University requested the waiver of said fees and for the renewal of these permits in order to complete
their renovation and continue their operation in a letter received on January 13, 2010 (Attachment II).
THE
Board
Financial Information:
Source of Amount Account
Funds: ~
Z
3
OBPI Total
Financial Impact Summary:
City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking:
Alex Rev, Building Director
Agenda Item C7F
Date 2~3 /r7
Im MIAMIBEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachA.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DA7E: February 3, 2010
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION WAIVING BUILDING PERMIT AND DEVELOPMENT FEES
DUE FROM THE TALMUDIC UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$36,659.40; PROVIDED FURTHER THAT SAID WAIVER OF FEES DOES NOT
INCLUDE STATE RADON FEE AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FEE.
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Resolution
ANALYSIS
Talmudic University is anon-profit educational institution that has been operating in Miami
Beach for over 35 years. The school recently relocated their facility from an amalgamation
of buildings on 19th Street and Alton Road to a new campus on 41st and Alton Road.
Talmudic University applied for and obtained the proper building permits to renovate their
new space.
A master building permit 60700318 was approved on October 24, 2007, with several related
permits. In December of 2009, a partial Certificate of Occupancy was issued enabling
Talmudic University to occupy the first three stories of their new space.
However, due to the decline in the economic environment and the fact that their General
Contractor, Stem Companies -owned by Mr. Michael Stern, due to his personal situation
was unavailable to continue the work, the remaining work could not be completed. As a
result, the permit expired on September 15, 2009,
In order to proceed with the rest of the work, the Talmudic University needs to renew the
permit, which will result in $37,963.70 in additional permit fees (Attachment I -permit and
fee detail). Talmudic University requested the waiver of said fees and for the renewal of
these permits in order to complete their renovation and continue their operation in a letter
received on January 13, 2010 (Attachment II).
CONCLUSION
The City acknowledges that this is a unique situation for two primary reasons
1. Talmudic University is anon-profit organization; and
2. The General Contractor of record has allowed the permits to expire and is At-
Large, out of the Country and any attempts by the Institution and the City to
communicate with him have been unsuccessful.
Due to the extenuation circumstances, it is the recommendation of the City to waive all but
the Miami-Dade Code Compliance and Radon Fees which, pursuanttoMiami-Dade County
Ordinance 8-12 (e) cannot be waived. In such, Talmudic University's expired permit fees in
the amount of $36,659.40 will be waived and the Building Official will renew said permits and
reissue the permits to a licensed general contractor enabling the Institution to continue the
renovation project. Talmudic will be responsible for complying with all City, County and
State regulations while completing the permitting process once these fees are waived.
JGM/AR
T:WGENDA\2oto\February 31Consent\TALMUDIC.da
m MIAMI BEACH
Building Department
1700 Convention Center Drive, 2"" Floor
Miami Beach, FL 33139
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
PERMIT #
60700318
B0009039
BE080236
BE081388
BE081389
BM081058
BMS0802607
BP080180
TOTAL
ATTACHMENTI
February 10, 2010
Richard McConachie, Building Official
City of Miami Beach Building Department
Alexis Livings, Development Review Services Coordinator
City of Miami Beach Building Department
4000 Alton Road Permit Fees
PERMIT RADON MDC DESCRIPTION
FEE FEE FEE OF WORK
Interior renovation -including electrical,
mechanical and plumbing. This is a change
$21,518.40 $820.10 $484.20 of use conversion from a hotel to a school
Certificate of Occupancy for a change of use
from a hotel (134 unit Bldg) to an
$1,095.00 $0.00 $0.00 Educational Center
$2,560.50 $0.00 $0.00 Complete electrical renovation
$83.00 $0.00 $0.00 Temp for construction
$195.50 $0.00 $0.00 Low voltage
Install ductwork 8r air conditioning equipment
$2,744.00 $0.00 $0.00 as per plans & specifications
$75.00 $0.00 $0.00 30-day construction use only D-4383
$8,388.00 $0.00 $0.00 Interior renovation for plumbing
$36,659.40 $820.10 $484.20
ATTACHMENT TWO
ROHR '
TALMUDIC TALMUDIC UP
UrvIVEBSrrx
CAMPUS
Rxav«''e'' To the Miami Beach City Commission:
Talmudic University of Florida has been an integral part of the Miami Beach
~bi~'1Z18~9 Communit for over 35 ears. As ou are robabl aware, in the last several
itatmx Y Y Y p Y
years we have moved our school from an amalgamation of buildings on 19th
street and Alton to a brand new campus on 41st street and Alton.
While ultimately rewarding, this process has been a huge drain on our time,
resources and spirit. Aside from all the difficulties of construction and its related
challenges, the last several years has been a period of unprecedented economic
distress.
Being anon-profit and relying on the community's largess for survival, schools
like ours are particularly sensitive to these difficult economic times. With the
Almighty's help (and with the help of the City Manager and the Building
Department) we were able to obtain a partial Certificate of Occupancy for the first
three floors in December 2008. In 2009 the economic situation decline even
further. We have been struggling to pay our operating bills. To continue
construction on the upper floors was out of the question. Compounding this
issue, our general contractor, Michael Stern, had some difficulties of his own and
we have been unable to this to locate him to continue the permitting process.
Obviously, all this has caused an unavoidable delay in our construction and
some of our permits have expired. The renewal of the permits has fees in the
many tens of thousands of dollars, which our institution can ill afford. We are
desperate to finish the upper floors of our building which will house much of our
faculty and staff, as they are being evicted from their current apartments by the
end of February. The new owner of the apartments that they reside in has
decided to empty the apartments in order to renovate -which is understandable.
Due to these extenuating circumstances, we humbly request a waiver of the fees
for the renewal of these permits. We believe that in our own small way we , _
contribute to the culture and community of the City of Miami Beach and that by
helping us the Commission is assisting us in providing essential spiritual and -
educational services to the community. `
_,
We would also like to thank you for your ongoing support of our institution, -
particularly in these difficult times. May we all be blessed to see better times r
this new year. r.~
4000 Anon Road
Miami Beach, FL 33140
Tel: (305) 534-7050
Fax: (305) 534-0444
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ALFRED AND SADVE SWIRf COLLEGE OF JUDAIC STUDIES
www.talmudicu.edu